The present invention relates generally to a hydrogen based steam cycle apparatus and more particularly to a hydrogen based combined steam cycle apparatus.
The hydrogen base combined steam cycle apparatus of this invention includes a steam turbine and comprises an irreversible isobaric Rankine steam cycle portion, an irreversible isobaric Carnot steam cycle portion and a reversible isobaric Rankine steam cycle portion, all three steam cycle portions operating simultaneously, defined supra.
The hydrogen based combined steam cycle apparatus of this invention improves the efficiency of existing Rankine steam cycle engines by increasing the amount of working fluid mass made available to do work at the turbine, from a given amount of fuel. The cycle also eliminates the carbon dioxide and other harmful exhaust gasses emitted by conventional steam cycles burning fossil fuels.
Many steam turbine apparatii are known for generating power. In a number of these systems some of the energy is reused in one way or another.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,434 which issued on Apr. 11, 1989 to C. R. Gudmundson there is disclosed an improvement in a steam turbine apparatus having a boiler having a first superheater, a first conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, said outlet end being connected to said first superheater, a pressurized liquid working fluid source connected to said inlet end of said first conduit, said first superheater being adapted to convert said liquid working fluid to superheated vapor. A second conduit has an input end and an output end, the input end being connected to receive the superheated vapor from the superheater, and a turbine connected to receive the vapor from the output end of the second conduit. The improvement described in that patent comprises a structure for restricting flow through the second conduit. A third conduit is adapted to conduct a first portion of the superheated vapor from the second conduit from downstream of the restricting structure to a second superheater wherein the first portion of the conduit is adapted to conduct the further superheated vapor from the second superheater to the turbine. The result is improved utilization of the heat generated by the boiler whereby significant increases in output energy result.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,204 which issued on Jun. 12, 1990, to J. Pavel et al. the efficiency of a combined cycle power plant is improved by preheating fuel supplied to a combustion turbine. The flow rate of feed water through an economizer section of a heat recovery steam generator is increased, and the excess flow, over that required to sustain saturated steam production in an evaporator section, is flowed through a heat exchanger to preheat the fuel.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,746 which issued on Oct. 25, 1994 to G. A. Myers et al there is disclosed an improved system for recovering waste heat from a combustion turbine in a combined cycle power plant of the type that includes at least one combustion turbine and at least one steam turbine. The improved system includes a first heat recovery system for heating condensate in the steam turbine cycle with heat from the hot exhaust gases from the combustion-type turbine, and a second heat recovery system for heating the fuel that is used in the combustion turbine with heat from the exhaust gases. The second system permits recovery of heat energy that is not recovered by the first system, thereby improving plate efficiency.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,297B1 which issued on Sep. 11, 2001, to O. Wakazono, et al. there is disclosed a combined cycle power generation plant which comprises a waste heat recovery boiler having a stabilizing burner at an upstream position thereof. The stabilizing burner is ignited during the time of start-up and speed increase of a gas turbine so that steam generation at the waste heat recovery boiler is accelerated. The steam is used effectively for cooling the gas turbine and driving a steam turbine. In addition, exhaust steam from the steam turbine is also used to cool the gas turbine. Consequently, the time for the plant to reach a full load can be shortened.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,354 which issued on Aug. 12, 2003, to C. Oto, et al. there is disclosed a combined cycle power plant which comprises a gas turbine power facility, a heat recovery steam generator, a steam turbine power facility, and an existing boiler. The power generation plant further comprises a system for introducing steam, which steam is generated in the heat recovery steam generator and in the existing boiler, to the steam turbine of the steam turbine power facility through steam lines, which lines extend from the existing boiler and the heat recovery steam generator and are then joined together. A system for causing a line, which is arranged on a downstream side of a condenser provided in the steam turbine power facility, to branch off into feedwater lines, and for supplying condensed water, condensed by the condenser into the heat recovery steam generator and the existing boiler is provided.
In published Patent Application No. 2009/0084107 A1 to J. Y. Gleasman there is disclosed a process which provides energy from a hydrogen flame to produce ultra high temperature steam, which is water vapor having a temperature over 1200 degrees C., as an energy transfer medium to drive a steam turbine. The hydrogen fuel may be supplied to the system from a source of isolated hydrogen such as compressed or liquefied H2, but is more preferably generated near its site of combustion by irradiating an aqueous solution of one or more inorganic salts or minerals with radio frequency electromagnetic radiation having a spectrum and intensity selected for optimal hydrogen production. The ultra high temperature steam is produced by contacting the hydrogen flame and its combustion gases with surfaces in a ceramic steam generator unit. In one embodiment, a radio frequency generator produces hydrogen gas from sea water to provide hydrogen fuel to produce steam to drive the turbine.
Additional patents of interest are the following:
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